These Lemon Zucchini Muffins are incredibly moist and easy to make in just about 30 minutes! Top them with lemon icing and enjoy for breakfast, dessert, or a quick afternoon snack.
These easy zucchini muffins stay fluffy and fresh for days, so make them on Sunday and enjoy them throughout the week, or freeze them for later!
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It may seem a little strange to put vegetables in sweet recipes, but just think of a delicious carrot cake or lemon zucchini cupcakes! Vegetables are a healthy way to add moisture to baked goods. Add this unique muffin recipe to your next summer brunch spread!
This zucchini muffin recipe is sponsored by Lifeway Kefir. In addition to the shredded zucchini and vegetable oil, Lifeway's Organic Lemon Whole Milk Kefir helps these muffins stay extra moist while enhancing the delicious lemon flavor! It also adds healthy nutrients along with the zucchini!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These muffins are so easy to make! There are only a few simple steps to follow before you have warm zucchini muffins coming out of the oven.
- There is no chance of dry muffins using this recipe, thanks to whole milk kefir, vegetable oil, and shredded zucchini. They stay moist and delicious for days!
- The muffins aren't overly sweet on their own, but this recipe includes a lemon glaze in case you want to sweeten them up!
- You can sneak some veggies into a tasty baked good. If you have picky eaters in your house or are looking for ways to use up all of your summer abundance of zucchini, this is a great way to add a vegetable into an easy breakfast treat!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this easy lemon muffin recipe with zucchini:
Ingredient Notes:
- Lifeway Organic Lemon Whole Milk Kefir does triple duty by adding richness and moisture, nutrients, and a delicious lemony flavor!
- Shredded zucchini adds moisture and is a great way to use up extra zucchini you have from your garden! Plus, it makes them healthy, right? 😅
- Lemon zest gets mixed into the muffin batter for an infused lemon flavor in every bite.
- Adding vanilla extract to these lemon muffins gives them just the right amount of sweetness!
- Vegetable oil prevents the zucchini lemon muffins from drying out for several days. Any neutral oil will work. You can even use melted butter, but the flavor and texture may differ slightly.
- Baking powder and baking soda work together to give them the perfect rise and fluffiness.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- For a sweeter version of zucchini muffins, use plain kefir, omit the lemon zest, and mix in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 cup of chocolate chips or nuts.
- Mix in 1 cup of blueberries, white chocolate chips, or walnuts for extra flavor and texture.
- Make jumbo or mini zucchini muffins or bake in a 9x5 inch loaf pan for a homemade zucchini bread. See instructions in the recipe card notes below.
- If you can't find kefir, you can use whole buttermilk instead.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Lemon Zucchini Muffins
Quick Recipe Video
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon kefir, and shredded zucchini until fully combined.
Step 3: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture just until the flour streaks disappear.
Step 4: Scoop the batter evenly into 12 muffin liners. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean (about 15-20 minutes total).
Optional Lemon Icing
Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Add more or less milk to meet your icing consistency preference!
Once the muffins have cooled, drizzle the lemon icing on top of them. You can also just dip the tops into it!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a food scale to weigh the flour in grams for the most accurate measurement. Using measuring cups can add too much flour, yielding dry muffins.
- Don't overmix the batter or the muffins can become tough instead of fluffly. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Make sure to start baking your muffins at 425°F to get the tops to rise like bakery-style muffins. I highly recommend using an oven thermometer to make sure your temperature is accurate. Make sure you leave the oven door closed while reducing the temperature!
Common Questions
No. Blotting or squeezing the zucchini removes the moisture which is needed in the muffin batter.
While both are vegetables with high water content, they actually are quite different. Zucchini has a mild, sweet flavor and softer flesh, making it great for baking. Cucumbers are much crisper with a more distinct, vegetal taste.
Lemon zest is the most outer part of the lemon peel that's packed with natural oils and flavor. Use a fine microplane to zest the lemons before juicing them.
Lifeway Kefir can be found at lifewaykefir.com or in the dairy section of many grocery and convenience stores.
Storage
Room Temperature
Store cooled and unglazed lemon zucchini muffins in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezing Instructions
Store muffins in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat in the microwave.
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Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Easy and Moist Lemon Zucchini Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin pan greased or lined with baking cups
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
Lemon Zucchini Muffins
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour weighed in grams or spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- ⅔ cup (133.33 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest lightly packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) Lifeway Organic Lemon Whole Milk Kefir
- 1¼ cups (155 g) shredded zucchini
Lemon Icing (optional)
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1-2 tablespoons milk more/less depending on preferred consistency
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Fill a muffin pan with parchment liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla extract, and kefir. Mix in the shredded zucchini.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold them together using a spatula just until the flour streaks disappear.
- Distribute the batter evenly throughout the muffin liners.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake until a toothpick comes out clean (another 10-15 minutes).
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- To make the optional lemon icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled muffins or dip their tops in the glaze.
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Geri Besa says
I live in Lake Worth, Florida. (zip code 33463). I cannot find the Lemon Kefir any place near me. I would love to make these. Any thing that I could substitute??
Kayla Burton says
Hi Geri! You can use buttermilk in place of the kefir 🙂
Ana says
Delicious muffins that are good even without the lemon! Thanks for the recipe!